Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 15:50:20 PM EDT

* Word from MIRS is that Moolenaar and Mitchell are neck-and-neck in the 4th.

* Last chance to be a precinct delegate this year - fill out this form, get it notarized, turn it in to your clerk, and then write-in your name under "Delegate to County Convention" on Tuesday. Note: Instead of turning into your clerk, you can turn it in to the poll workers on Election Day.

* Emails from the DCCC is now on Tumblr. God Bless America. (I know that's not Michigan-specific, but it's too important not to share.)

spelled out that, for precinct delegates, a declaration of write-in candidacy would be required to be submitted to the clerk before 4:00 p.m. on the Friday before Election day (meaning tomorrow, August 1).

I had never heard that you could submit it to a poll worker on Election Day. Is that new?

Filing requirements for write-in candidates:
An individual who wishes to seek a precinct delegate position with write-in votes is required to file a declaration of Intent with the city or township clerk by 4:00 p.m. on August 1, 2014.
As an alternative, such candidates may file a Declaration of Intent with the appropriate precinct board on the day of the August primary anytime prior to the close of the polls.

I think this has been the law since the requirement that candidates file petitions was dropped years ago.

Ever since I became a Democrat in 2004, I noticed that there never was anyone running for precinct delegate any of the places where I lived, so I wrote myself in. Nothing ever happened, because I didn't know to do the critical step of submitting a notarized statement of identity, which would have allowed my write-in vote to count. That is, until two years ago, when I walked into the polling place, again saw that there was no one running for precinct delegate, and remarked to the poll worker that it was too bad I didn't know there was no one on the ballot, because then I could have filed a notarized statement. Her response was "I'm a notary public, at least for today, and I have a form right here." Of course, I filled it out. I then wrote my name in and waited. Two weeks later, I got the letter from the County Clerk saying that I was a precinct delegate. A week later, I went to the county convention. The next year, I went to the state convention. All of that just because I was in the right place in the right time with a big mouth and seized the opportunity.

In 2012 and this year, I did it the right way, so my name is printed on the ballot. Today, my landlord drove by and told me that he was voting for me. I've never had that happen before.

I wonder how much of a circus the GOP contests for precinct delegate will be
(0.00 / 0)

The Tea Party and the DeVos family are on opposite sides, and both have been recruiting candidates for precinct delegates. Maybe we'll have a repeat of the 1988 GOP fiasco when some district conventions almost broke out in fisticuffs.

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.

What is remarkable about Prop 1 is the general inability of its supporters to address the concerns being raised in comments such as those at Bridge (or MLive for that matter). The questions of where the money comes from to hold cities harmless is critical. Given the silence, the suggestion from CRC that it basically comes from a restriction of State spending seems to be the underlying story.

Even if one cannot exactly locate where the smell is coming from, there's still a distinct odor wafting in from the proposal.

And the ad about the factory that has paid the personal property tax for 46 years and two generations raises some obvious questions: How much property tax does that company pay? How much of its total tax burden is attributable to that tax? And if the tax were so onerous, why is that company still in business--and why hasn't it moved to Muncie or Mississippi or Mexico?

One more thing: if this tax was such a job killer, why hadn't state lawmakers taken up a bil repealing it? The Republicans have controlled the legislature for most of the past 30 years.

I agree with you, Harris. This gives off a ripe odor.

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.

The tax breaks actually are identified, just not in the proposal proper. You can find them identified in the Anderson report among other places; they are a collection of tax credits that are expiring in the near to distant future, $526 million by their account. These include battery manufacturers, some film credits and the like. Although not analyzed (hmmm) Anderson relies on a 2012 paper and holds Prop 1 as revenue neutral as to the State

Naturally one might ask the question: 'these expiring credits, won't we use them again?' Of course. But in the right wing universe, tax credits are always bad policy.

Of course, none of this is in the proposal, since the proposal is a front for the Public Act 80, the actual enacting legislation. For odd reasons (and suitable denial of accountability), the bill requires a public vote. the CRC Memorandum for July has more details.

The problem with the tax credit claims is that they are based on assumptions about the revenue that will come from the businesses that received them. If those businesses are no longer around or don't generate the kind of corporate profits expected, the revenue coming from those businesses will be less than projected.

No. Snyder's last gift to businesses has yet to produce any jobs--of course, since tax cuts increase profits, not demand for products. Not to mention the rather obvious but usually ignored truth that after-tax revenues are not used for hiring workers anyway.

I doubt if they have any intention of ensuring that the lost revenue gets replaced, either. They'll pass the buck by consolidating it with some other transfer payments into an inadequate "block grant" to municipalities and let them decide what not to fund.

Our transformation into the Mississippi of the north is nearly complete.